Dioscoreaceae FAMILY

Dioscorea praehensilis

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The tubers contain toxic substances and have a very bitter flavour[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Botanical Description

Dioscorea praehensilis is a herbaceous perennial climbing plant producing stems up to 15 metres long from a surface-rooting tuber that is protected by spiny roots. The stems twine right-handed around other plants for support, or scramble over the ground[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. The edible root is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use, mainly in times of food shortage. The plant is sometimes cultivated for its root and is also sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeTropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Ethiopia, south to Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

HabitatWoodlands, thickets, rainforest and riverine forest, at elevations from 800 - 1,800 metres[ 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ].